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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-06-2018, 05:52 PM
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Sigma 35mm Art f/1.4
Very sharp and 35mm is quite versatile IMO
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-07-2018, 01:55 AM
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While it's certainly possible to get amazing, even award-winning images without any tracking mount at all, especially for landscapes, tracking can only help make images less noisy and bring out fainter details. I think it's analogous to the statement that a pro photographer can take amazing photos even with an old 6MP camera or phone. But more often than not going for newer equipment can pay off in terms of image quality.
There's no comparison between Astrotracer, which I largely think of as a gimmick, and even an cheap mount like the Skytracker. I haven't bothered with the K-1's astrotracer since getting a Skyguider Pro. Most Astrotracer examples I've seen are pretty awful, despite people constantly advocating for it. Even the decent ones show a good amount of trailing beyond 25% zoom, and only look good at web resolution.
That said, I agree with the article. The K-1 packs an excellent sensor and the 15-30mm is excellent as well.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-18-2017, 07:53 PM
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I did a lot of reading back when I was trying to find something similar to you. Unfortunately, with nobody making lenses for Pentax K mount anymore, your options are limited.
The DFA 24-70mm f/2.8, based on the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC G1 lens, is a good lens by most reviews on other systems in terms of sharpness and other optical qualities. For Canon/Nikon/Sony, it is probably the second best third party lens, after the new Tamron G2 24-70mm/2.8. It does seem to be a little less sharp at 70mm compared to the "endgame" 24-70mm zooms, and also has a lot of distortion at 24mm, but otherwise very good.
The "endgame" 24-70mm standard zooms with the outstanding/extreme optical qualities (sharpness, low CA) you want are the first party zooms from Canon/Nikon/Sony. The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L II and Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM have the extreme sharpness and the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 E VR has the very even performance even out to the very edges. However, they aren't available for K mount (obviously). So if you want to go with these lenses, you'll have to switch to one of the other manufacturers. I won't comment too much on the merits of other camera systems since their mention seems to stoke controversy.
The A7RII and 24-70mm f/2.8 L II + MC-11 is a combination I've tried for my A7RII and liked, and right now can be found brand new for very reasonable prices if you know where to look. (altogether only a little more than a D850 or A7RIII). That offers you very high resolution on the camera, outstanding sharpness from the lens, good to very good AF that's a significant jump from the K-1, and IBIS to make up for the lack of lens IS.
The other option that for even higher performance is the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 Art. Again, not available for K mount.
The DFA 15-30mm f/2.8, also based on a Tamron design, is very sharp, has very low vignetting compared to other ultrawide zooms, and overall is optically excellent. It compares favorably with the best ultrawide f/2.8 zooms from Sony/Canon/Nikon and is on their level. It has pretty much become the only lens I use for my K-1 now. If you can live with it being a bit shorter than the 35mm you're looking for, you should absolutely go with this lens. I got mine new from an authorized retailer for $1140. The only downside is that the K-1 (not a light camera) + DFA 15-30mm is a very heavy combination. It was no fun carrying on hikes with a tripod.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-07-2017, 12:16 PM
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This reads like an April Fools joke made several months too late.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-25-2017, 08:41 PM
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I may complain a lot but I also have spent several thousand dollars on the K-1, 24-70/2.8,15-30/2.8, and sigma 35mm. Not to mention a K-50 and several lenses before. If Pentax/Ricoh doesn't get their game together soon and release the 50/80, as well as make a 24 f/1.4, I'll have no choice but to invest more heavily in other systems. Of course, I'll still keep the K-1 because it's an awesome camera, but there will be no incentive to further buy any K-mount cameras or lenses.
Not all complainers are necessarily trolls who have no investment in the system.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-20-2017, 08:43 PM
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Photozone tested both these lenses on the 50 MP 5DsR, and they are known for being towards the harsher side when reviewing lenses from all manufacturers. Look at the commentary on Canon's 24-70mm f/2.8 II, considered to be one of, if not the best 24-70 f/2.8 available. They only gave it 3.5 stars for optical quality. It's also telling of the decline in Pentax popularity that none of the DFA lenses have been tested by any of the major photoreview sites. Unfortunately it makes quantifying their performance more difficult.
While their 20mm and 24mm lenses aren't as optically "perfect" as their 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm, they are definitely at the top of the class compared to similar primes. Like you said, it's not easy to make those lenses. Every other 24mm f/1.4 suffers from even worse vignetting. The corners are very tough to make. So I think it's very reasonable to say that Sigma's Art primes are some of the best available, considering optical performance and price. Of course they are heavy, but that's the price you pay with the modern fast primes.
So Pentax has a high standard to surpass if they're gunning to beat Sigma's Art primes. Especially since the 50mm, 85mm, and 35mm (next rumored pentax lenses) are considered to be the best in the Art series.
The Otus line is $4000 and has similar performance/weight characteristics to Sigma's art line, with a similar design philosophy. So it's not about paying for a cheaper lens in terms of weight. It's probably getting rid of that last bit of aberrations and getting to the f/1.4 aperture that you pay for with that huge increase in size and weight. The 31mm also shows more light falloff even despite being at f/1.8. I personally would like to have both lenses. One for the best performance, regardless of weight, and the other for an optimal mix of weight and performance.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-16-2017, 05:27 PM
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Totally agree. Note that Canon hasn't actually made any corporate statements on their lens. It's just been rumors that have been leaked. Whereas Pentax put this on an official road map, shown at a photoexhibition.
I'd also be shocked if the 50mm lands before 2018. I love how people are now doing mental gymnastics to convince themselves that Pentax meant the financial year.
Pentax has put it on their roadmap. This is way different from Canon rumors of a new 85mm. If a company puts it out there that they're doing something, the expectations are far higher.
Sigma doesn't even make their old 85mm anymore, and their new 85mm is not made for Pentax. Pretty much the only new lens is Samyang, and their quality is a level below the first party lenses/Sigma. I think their mockup (along with the "announcement" of the 50mm) was more to persuade people who are in and considering the system from jumping ship. Because they are sorely lacking in high quality, modern primes at the 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm focal lengths.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-16-2017, 01:48 AM
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I'm really hoping its price is in the 50mm Sigma Art range ($900-1k) and the image quality is comparable. Maybe $1100 is ok. If the rumors of $1500 price tag are true, I'll probably have to pass. Pentax would be shooting themselves in the foot with a price like that. I might hold off on further purchases and just save for another camera system (D850 or A7RIII) . I already have the 15-30 f/2.8 and 24-70 f/2.8 zooms as well as the 35mm f/1.4 sigma art prime (so I've already spent of money supporting K-mount lenses). I'd be ok with that being my K-1 lens kit.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-25-2017, 01:20 PM
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Exactly. We'll see how well these new lenses sell, especially given the preference for Pentax users for "beautiful rendition" and "3D pop." But I think it's essential to have these new lenses, especially given the dearth of high quality/sharp lenses for the K-1, and it's these types of lenses that the market is clamoring for. I think a 50mm, 85mm, and 24mm are absolutely necessary to draw new people into the system. (The Sigma 35mm Art can address the need for a 35mm lens for now)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-08-2017, 07:54 PM
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Unfortunately in terms of AF lenses these options are significantly behind the modern lenses in terms of their image quality, especially on a higher resolution sensor. Pentax really needs a new wide angle prime, but given the pace at which they are releasing lenses, I would not expect one for a long while. If the 85mm isn't even arriving until next year, then the wide angles, which are farther down the road, will probably need even longer. I wouldn't buy any of these legacy lenses, no matter how cheap they are.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-08-2017, 02:10 PM
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I agree with your argument there. If Sigma is already losing money on their camera bodies, then it's unlikely they'll want to spread their resources even thinner by developing K-mount lenses, which are less profitable than the Canikon ones.
To get to your original point, I absolutely would support a Sigma K mount kickstarter. I've emailed them asking if they'd convert one of their newer primes to K-mount even if I paid them a substantial additional sum (many hundreds extra), and the answer was still no. The new lens selection for FF K-mount primes is pretty limited right now, and while my 35mm f/1.4 + 24-70mm f/2.8 are good enough in many cases, it would be nice to get another few primes.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-08-2017, 12:10 AM
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I find this a bit too conspiratorial. It is well known that Sigma is probably losing money with its camera business, but only continues to make cameras in order to fulfill the wishes of its late founder. While Pentax has a very small share of the ILC market, Sigma has an even smaller segment.
Sigma CEO leads premium push in camera market (Q&A) - CNET
It is unlikely they would cut support for Pentax just to sabotage Pentax camera sales, especially since some other third party manufacturers have also withdrawn support for K mount in recent years.
Sigma has said themselves the causes for withdrawing from Pentax has been (1) physical aperture coupling (since that means a separate production run) and (2) economics. Economics in the sense that they simply don't find K mount sells well enough to do a production run frequently enough. This is a really subtle point, since it doesn't mean that they're losing money on every Pentax lens they sell when they do make one, but rather that they can only make them so infrequently that it would be impractical to sell that lens as K mount, since once the stockpile runs out then it might be months or a year before the next production run. Obviously if they got more people buying their lenses, then they could consider making more lenses that currently see very little demand. Also once KAF4 cameras (electronic aperture) displace KAF3 as the primary K mount, then we might see more.
I've tried my best to do my part, having bought $1.5k of Sigma lenses (and probably $4k in K mount gear in general) in the past year... I know that's spare change to some, but I've done the best with my budget.
Sigma Q&A Part I: CEO Kazuto Yamaki explains why so few Pentax-mount lenses, and much more
While I don't think it's a good idea for Pentax to make a MILC, mirrorless cameras and auto lens adapters like the MC-11 for mirrorless shouldn't be dismissed outright and mocked.
Although I personally prefer DSLRs, mirrorless cameras do have their strong points, like on-sensor autofocus and metering, as well as the shorter flange distance. There are other more subjective things like lower weight, too.
Also while autofocus lens adapters certainly have issues, most reviews show they can achieve decent performance for a good number of lenses. There's even lens reviews coming out using these adapters, suggesting they aren't as unusable as one might think. If your lens ecosystem is really limited, then an autofocus adapter can only be a huge help.
While there's certainly going to be added costs of creating K mount lenses, I highly doubt that the premium is going to be high as you're saying. For any lens Sigma makes, they have to recoup the development costs. They were able to do it by pricing these costs into the lens... They certainly were able to make Pentax lenses for a number of years until recently, so suggests that each Pentax lens they sold was probably profitable (see above), but they sold so badly that they couldn't be kept as part of a lens lineup, with regular production runs. In fact, a Kickstarter might be ideal in this case, since Sigma (or whatever 3rd party lens maker) would have known demand, and then they could making only a certain amount of lenses without having to worry about the issue of keeping in stock.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-05-2017, 02:54 PM
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Great to hear you've made a lens choice, so the below info is not as important. Mostly just my opinion about the lenses.
From what I've read, the old Tamron (28-70mm) is close to the new Tamron (rebranded as Pentax D FA 24-70mm) in the center, but not as good on the edges. The new 24-70mm has a reputation of being a very good zoom lens across a number of mounts. It's only been great for me, but I've never used old 28-70mm.
So I find it interesting the D FA 24-70mm got knocked for being not so sharp in the corners wide open at the 24mm end without a relative comparison of its performance relative to other lenses in its category. If it underperformed relative to other zooms, then it criticisms would be a lot easier to understand. Without a relative comparison, however, then "not sharp in the corners" is almost impossible to interpret. Not sharp relative to what? A 24mm prime? The 15-30mm zoom? Old 24/28-70mm zooms? All zoom lenses are compromises, and none of them will offer the sharpness of a prime.
28-70mm: Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) - Review / Test Report - Samples Images & Verdict
24-70mm: Tamron AF 24-70mm f/2.8 SP Di USD VC (Canon EOS) - Full Format Review / Lens Test - Sample Images & Verdict
Camera Lens Database - DxOMark |
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-03-2017, 08:05 PM
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Some of the lenses you mentioned are not full frame, and therefore would either needed to be used in crop-mode (kind of defeating the purpose of having a K-1 if that's all you're going to use), or suffer from severe vignetting.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-03-2017, 12:44 PM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-29-2017, 06:14 PM
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Sigma 35mm art or FA 31mm limited. the DA 35mm is great for its price but the difference in image quality between it and the 35mm art is night and day. I own both. Been thinking about trying a 31mm too. The f/1.4 is also really great to have in low light conditions or to achieve that nice subject isolation. Also, what lenses do you already have, what are you trying to do with your pictures, and what's your budget?
Manual focus lenses are less appealing to me for anything that might be moving. I'd be ok with a manual focus lens for landscape or astrophotography, but a 35mm on APS-C is not suited for that use. Plus the cheap Korean lenses have QC issues.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-20-2017, 12:39 AM
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The Tamron 24-70mm is actually more expensive for Canikon right now, and the 15-30mm is comparable in price.
I'm guessing Pentax has dropped their prices since the "Pentaxian" adopter phase is over, and now they're trying to lure newcomers who will care more about how Pentax stacks up to other systems as opposed Pentax owners already invested in the system who will loyally buy them up. These lenses are really needed for the K-1, and it shows in the sales demand. They are among the best selling lenses for K-mount despite being some of the most expensive.
In line with attracting new people to Pentax, the introduction of the new 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 (and 35mm likely) is desperately needed. A fast wide angle is also really crucial. While Pentax users would rather prefer a smaller but slow lens (like a f/4) with "great color rendition" but worse metrics in sharpness/distortion/vignetting over a larger but faster and sharper lens (f/1.4) and scores well on quantitative tests, the trend in the photography world as a whole is much more towards the bigger, faster, sharper lenses. Both reviews and the sales properties of these lenses are clearly going in this direction, and it would be writing your own death sentence to fight it in vain. Pentax is trying to do its best to balance making the older users happy with luring new users to our system with these new lenses. Pentax cannot grow and thrive if they only cater to their existing userbase (devoted as it is).
If say, Sigma (especially with their art series) or Tamron were still releasing lenses for K-Mount, then there would be less pressure for Pentax to make (or borrow designs for) new lenses. But without the 3rd parties to fill the gap, Pentax is left with a brilliant camera but without the lens ecosystem needed to draw in new buyers.
I really appreciate aspects of both lens design philosophies. I love the images that come out of the FA limited primes. Seeing the limiteds in action will convince a lot of people that quantitative metrics aren't everything, and sometimes the subjective character of a lens can make a big difference. They almost perfectly hit the sweet spot of portability, wide aperture, and image quality (in both senses). Now that I have a K-1, I'm strongly considering saving up for the 77mm. Yet I also appreciate and understand the really sharp, really fast, low optical aberration (but large and heavy) design philosophy of many modern lenses. The new lenses are capable of some astounding image quality, particularly on the high resolution, FF K-1. Using one of those lenses on the K-1 was incredible.
I even appreciate the excellent DA 35mm f/2.4 and DA 50mm f/1.8. Their sharpness and image quality is amazing for their value, and they are a great introduction to the Pentax design philosophy. They even work, with some limitations, on FF. However, I don't care at all for the slow and relatively pricey APS-C only primes. Stopping down from f/3.2 wide open to 5.6 or worse just to get an acceptable image is completely unacceptable imo. Being beaten in quantitative tests by high quality zooms which are comparable in cost is also ridiculous. Ultimately, a lens is for picture taking, and all of the lightness and fancy metal build quality in the world won't make a difference if the images you're getting aren't worth it.
I can only hope Pentax gets the new lenses out soon, and third party makers start up again too. While so many reviewers are singing the praises of the K-1, a lot of the same reviewers are also warning of the lack of modern lenses for the system, and so long as that continues it will drive away people who otherwise would have considered Pentax. Not only will the awesome K-1 benefit from the great new lenses, but a healthy lens ecosystem will help draw in new buyers. That's only a good thing for both Pentax and existing users! More people get to see the unique advantages offered by Pentax cameras, and the money will help fund further improvements to the cameras and lenses. New and better cameras will be great for both new and old users alike. A reactionary mindset towards these new advances isn't helpful, and in the competitive camera environment today, I think it will be hurtful to the long-term health of Pentax. New lenses can only benefit everyone.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-19-2017, 04:56 PM
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I'm going to be a contrarian and say that you shouldn't waste money on a pro-level high speed card on the K-50.
The K-50 can't write very fast at all (20 MB/sec) and even the fastest Pentax K-3ii can only write ~37 MB/sec, as shown in the comparison below. Any faster card like the extreme pro or extreme plus would be wasted because the limiting factor is the camera's writing speed, not the write speed capability of the card. So even when you're maxing out your camera's burst capability, it simply can't write any faster than the numbers given above. The price difference isn't huge since all cards are pretty cheap now, but why waste money on overkill? Also the costs can add up if you buy multiple cards or larger capacities.
Pentax K-3 II SD Card Write Speed Comparison of Fastest Memory Cards for the Pentax K3 II Digital Camera - Camera Memory Speed Comparison & Performance tests for SD and CF cards
For example (all based on my own testing or tests found on the internet, speeds are usually a bit slower in camera)
The SanDisk Extreme Pro (current gen 95 MB/s read) writes as fast as 80 MB/s. Overkill, unless you want to pay more for futureproofing. I prefer to deal with whatever future tech when it arrives, but that's a personal preference.
The SanDisk Extreme (current gen 90 MB/s read) writes at 40 MB/s in 32 GB or 64 GB forms, 60 MB/s for 128 GB. These cards are already limited by the write speed of the K-3ii. I've been using this card family in my K-1
The SanDisk Ultra (current gen 80 MB/s read) writes in the 15-20 MB/s range for 32 GB/64 GB, while closer to 40 MB/s for 128 GB. This card would be close to maxing out the K-50's theoretical write speed.
The Lexar Professional 633X UHS-I (current gen 95 MB/s read) writes in the 45 MB/s range for 32 GB/64 GB, a bit faster for 128 GB. I'm currently using this card in my K-50. Not as "name brand" as SanDisk, but still works great and is quite cheap.
32 GB Prices (all from B&H)
SanDisk Extreme Pro: $22.95
SanDisk Extreme: $16.99
SanDisk Ultra: $12.95
Lexar 633X: $14.95
64 GB Prices
SanDisk Extreme Pro: $34.95
SanDisk Extreme: $28.89
SanDisk Ultra: $21.95
Lexar 633X: $24.95
A 64GB card gives me ~1700 pictures of RAW + JPEG on the K-50. I'd recommend getting one of those cards if you're planning on taking about 2000 on your trip. I do transfer shots that I really like as soon as I can to minimize the risk of data loss. If it were up to me I'd get an Extreme if I planned on a taking a lot of bursts, and if I wasn't I'd just get the Ultra.
Furthermore, I would strongly recommend you AVOID buying cards on Amazon, even from Amazon directly (and not a 3rd party seller). Instead, buy from a reputable place like B&H or Adorama. There are plenty of reviews indicating that they have a serious issue with counterfeit cards. If you get one of those, you'll see extremely slow speeds and might not get the size you ordered. 3rd party "fulfilled by Amazon" stock is mixed with Amazon's own stock, and some unscrupulous 3rd party sellers will be selling fake cards, so there's a chance you'll get one even if you order from Amazon.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-15-2017, 07:05 PM
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Ah! I've thought long and hard about buying the Samyang in the past. I initially was only thinking about using it for astrophotography, so the lack of AF wasn't a problem, though AF would make it a more useful lens during the day. But that lens, as with many of the ones from cheap Korean (Rokinon, etc) manufacturers, seem to have a reputation very serious quality control issues and cheap build quality. I enjoy photography, and am more than happy to dedicate a lot of my time practicing and learning techniques. I have much less interest in spending time taking lots of test shots to see if a lens has problems, wasting time and money returning and exchanging lenses, or worse yet driving out to a dark sky site only to find all of the pictures are unusuable. It's a shame too, because reviews seem to suggest it is really sharp (when working), gives great images, and is ideally suited for astrophotography. I only hope that Pentax releases a serious wide-angle prime in the next few years, though things are looking hopeful with it appear on the roadmap. It'd likely do double duty as an astrophotography lens on the K-1 and a walk around lens for APS-C camera. Or I hope that Sigma changes its mind and decides to continue supporting K-mount (though the 24mm art seems to have issues with "coma").
For me, compactness isn't as important, even when going on long hikes. I really don't notice my camera + camera bag when I'm carrying a much heavier backpack and supplies. Furthermore, for me I feel like a super compact lens is only part of the equation. The camera itself is a good portion of the weight too, and I don't even mind having a heaver lens since it gives the whole setup a more balanced feel. This might be heresy to say here, but I honestly would prefer to use a wider aperture and sharper lens might even be significantly heavier over a much more compact 21mm f/3.2. At $500, I'd also seriously have to consider paying a few hundred more and getting the 18-35 f/1.8 Art, which could replace a whole range of primes. Though I'll certainly try to remain open-minded! If I can find a 21mm f/3.2 for cheap I might give it a shot!
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-14-2017, 10:27 PM
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Hi all,
I recently got a second hand K-1 off of Ebay, and so far things have been great. The image quality is amazing - I've currently got it paired with the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 art (my only FF lens), but surprisingly even the DA 35mm f/2.4 works pretty good too. The 35mm focal length on FF is just so versatile for my needs (mostly landscape and walking around photography) and I almost never find myself wanting a zoom - I can usually achieve the composition I want just by walking around. I wish there was an equivalent for APS-C, like a 20mm wide aperture prime.. Maybe its that I don't use the 50mm FF equivalent as much; I just didn't find myself reaching for the DA 35mm when using a K-50. Anyways, overall I've had no issue at all with the camera. The screen and camera look almost brand new.
I noticed some dust specks the other day on the sensor when using a small aperture, which I easily got rid of using the mirror lockup and a blower from the dust removal kit. However, it was at this point I also noticed that the startup and shutdown Dust removal actions had been checked, but the camera hadn't been making a strong shaking motion like it did with my K-50. I normally notice if startup/shutdown dust removal is on for it. Instead it just makes a short, high pitched whine. Same thing happened when I manually selected the Dust Removal Function. Does this mean the IBIS system is busted, or is it just quieter and less obtrusive when removing dust? Is IBIS failure for the K-1 relatively common?
Thanks all in advance for your feedback!
Edit: never mind, some googling has now solved my problem. Feel free to bash me on my foolishness or my bad choice in lens focal length
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/k1-sensor-clean-function-56718/p-0\
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
03-07-2017, 05:48 PM
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Thanks for the kind welcome everyone! I will definitely try to post on the forum and seek advice, but I'm not sure my photography and post-processing skills can match the level of people who participate in the challenges!
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
03-06-2017, 11:08 PM
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I just bought a K-1 (from ebay :P), but I've been a pentax user for a while now, having owned a K-50 for taking pictures for my hiking trips and of the stars at night. The K-50 is really a great camera and has a lot of awesome features that other cameras just don't have, and I really appreciate the image quality. I'll probably be posting a bit asking for lens suggestions soon.
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
03-06-2017, 10:56 PM
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Dang it, I just bought a K-1 on eBay for $1555! I got 2 additional battery packs and a charger, but this deal is still better.
Thanks for the post!
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